What Does a Melanoma Look Like in Early Stages?

Early-stage melanomas often appear as new moles or changes to existing moles that follow the ABCDE rule. Asymmetry occurs when one half doesn't match the other, while irregular borders appear jagged or blurred rather than smooth. Color variations within the same spot, diameter larger than 6 mm (about the size of a pencil eraser) can be a warning sign, but melanomas may be smaller. Evolution, or any change over time, is especially important. Early melanomas may look like flat, brown or black spots with uneven coloring, or they can be raised with a rough surface. They may have multiple shades of brown, black, red, or blue within the same lesion, although some melanomas have a single color and some benign moles can have color variation.